It’s got 750 members already (although many are associations with hundreds of staff, so it probably represents closer to 5,000). But CEO Patrick Donovan wants to get the membership numbers up to 1,000 by the time the campaign ends on Friday April 4, “so we can say, we represent the music industry and we’re fairly representative (of it).”
No doubt about it, Music Victoria has been able to tick off boxes for the music industry in the last four years. This has been done by establishing strong contacts with the Government and councils. It has been able to lead the way on the Live Music Roundtable which resulted in the re-introduction of mixed-ages gigs; helped develop a Live Music Best Practice Guide for venues; got a commitment from the Government to legislate the Agent of Change principle to protect venues from gentrification and noise complaints; and played an active role in the Age Music Victoria Awards and Face The Music conference.
But it needs support to keep up the good work – especially from the venues which it has worked so hard for. “If you are a musician there are a myriad of good reasons to support them,” points out singer songwriter Deborah Conway. ThisNovember’s state elections will be a close one. Music Victoria will lobby on various music issues. “It’s important we get to 1,000 so we can say we represent the music industry and representative (of it),” Donovan says.
Jen Cloher adds, “We need to have our voice heard at the level of Government to ensure policies are made with our best interests at heart. I don’t take Melbourne’s thriving music community for granted – we’re privileged. That’s why I’m a Music Victoria member.”
To coincide, Music Victoria has also this morning posted on its website a White Paper with 19 recommendations which political parties can adopt for their election promises. The idea is to keep contemporary music in the spotlight in the run-up to the election. While Music Victoria’s last White Paper was about fixing red tape and legislation which was affecting the live music scene, the 2014 version is about opportunities.
It doesn’t just aim at the Arts portfolio of the Government. It also covers Regional and Rural Development, Tourism and Major Events, Innovation Services, Small Business and Employment and Trade.
Among the 19 are quick grants if an act is offered a career-changing opportunity which needs an immediate response, alternate sites for the long-talked about Hall of Fame, continue to cut red tape for venues and have fairer noise level readings, and setting up a Live Music Hub.
Donovan explains, “We need a Live Music Hub, based on the Adelaide one which the SA Government put in $3 million for, announced a month ago. Basically we need a central spot in Melbourne where we can all come together with a performance stage, exhibition space, and thousands of hot desks for music businesses so they can all come together and collaborate.”
There are initiatives to turn Melbourne into the Music Capital of Australia (including more laneways named after its music pioneers, promote its achievements through social media and lodge an application in 2015 for Melbourne to become an UNESCO City of Music), increase ways to sharpen industry skills, expand our presence on the global market (like including music in Government trade missions) and add to musicians’ finances (use local talent in all Government campaigns).
The White Paper also has good ideas on how to revitalize the regional touring circuit, including a call for a Summit to come up with strategies from different sectors and to set up a Regional Live Music Office which can be a one-stop shop to help bands, venues, promoters and councils coordinate. At the end of the Membership Drive on Friday April 4, Music Victoria will release its regional live music census and report in Ballarat on the day.
